Information for:

2020 Lindback Distinguished Teaching Award

May 08, 2020

Dr. Ryan Walvoord, Assistant Professor of Chemistry

Ryan Walvoord received his B.S. from Rochester Institute of Technology and his PhD from the University of Pennsylvania. He conducted postdoctoral research at UC-Berkeley and joined us at Ursinus in 2016. Dr. Walvoord is a teacher and scholar of organic chemistry.

Citation

This year’s recipient joined the Ursinus faculty in the fall of 2016, and he has had a tremendous impact on his students, positively changing their sense of accomplishment and influencing the course of their lives. I am pleased to announce that this year’s winner of the Lindback Award for Distinguished Teaching is Dr. Ryan Walvoord, Assistant Professor of Chemistry.

Students praiseProfessorWalvoord for his ability tobreak down organic chemistrymattersintomoresimple analogies that studentsof all levels are able to understand.He is patientandthorough, motivates students to learn, and meets with them during extended office hours to insure they thrive.Onestudent,referring to a daily 8:00 am class,remarksthat “Dr. Walvoord always found a way to wake us up and get excited about organic chemistry,”while anothernotes,“His class was the reason I fell in love with chemistry and ultimately why I joined his organic chemistry lab.”Further, a student describesDr. Walvoord’s skill by stating:“He made me enjoy organic chemistry. Understanding the implications of a course beyond the classroom is extremely motivating.”

But it is not onlyProfessorWalvoord’s excellence inteachingthat makes studentsappreciate him.Studentscomment that“It was obvious he loved what he wasteaching” and“he always encouraged me and made me believe in myself.”Othersrecognizethat“…even after students leave Dr. Walvoord’s class, he remains a part of their academic lives and helps them succeed in their other endeavors.”Finally, echoing the sentiments of many of Dr. Walvoord’s students, oneacknowledged:“Dr. Walvoord changed my attitude towards my education. Sometimes it is not about the immediate result, but the process it takes to get there. I attribute my success largely to Dr. Walvoord’s teaching and his dedication to his students.”